City of Sacramento
City Council Report
915 I Street, 1st Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2022-01249 7/19/2022 Consent Item 15.
Title: Appointment: Sacramento Groundwater Authority Board of Directors File ID: 2022-01249
Location: Citywide
Recommendation: Pass a Motion appointing the following representatives to the Sacramento Groundwater Authority Board of Directors: 1) Kevin Thomas, Sacramento Suburban Water District, 2) Jay Boatwright, Sacramento Suburban Water District as an alternative, and 3) Robert Wichert, Sacramento Suburban Water District as an alternative.
Contact: Brett Ewart Supervising Engineer, (916) 808-1725, [email protected], Anne Sanger, Government Affairs Manager, (916) 808-1635, [email protected], William O.
Busath, Director, (916) 808-1434, [email protected], Department of Utilities Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: The City Council appoints specified representatives to the Sacramento Groundwater Authority (SGA) Board of Directors in accordance with the SGA Joint Powers Agreement (JPA). Staff recommends that Council appoint the renewed or new representative identified in this report to the SGA Board in alignment with a request by those agencies.
Policy Considerations: The proposed action is consistent with the SGA JPA approved by the City Council, which requires that City Council appoint board representatives from various organizations.
Economic Impacts: None.
City of Sacramento Page 1 of 4
File ID: 2022-01249 7/19/2022 Consent Item 15.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The Community Development Department, Environmental Planning Services has reviewed the proposed activity and has determined that the action of filling vacant positions is not considered a project under the CEQA Guidelines, Section 15378(b)(2) and (5). Filling the vacancies to the SGA Board of Directors is a continuing administrative activity and is an organizational activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes to the environment and is not subject to CEQA (CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3)).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: The JPA that created the SGA requires the City Council to appoint specified representatives to the SGA Board of Directors from adjacent water districts, water companies, and self-supplied pumpers. The Sacramento Suburban Water District Board President provided the recommended representatives for the Sacramento Groundwater Authority.
Financial Considerations: The proposed action will have no financial impact to the City.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): No goods or services are being purchased.
Background: On August 11, 1998, the City Council approved a JPA that created the Sacramento North Area Groundwater Management Authority, subsequently renamed the SGA.
The boundaries of the SGA are as follows: north of the American River to the Sacramento County line; bounded on the south by the American River; on the west by the Sacramento River; on the north and east by the Sacramento County line; and including the City of Folsom.
The SGA was established: (a) to maintain the long-term sustainable yield of the North Area Basin; (b) to manage the use of groundwater in the North Area Basin and facilitate implementation of an appropriate conjunctive use program by water purveyors; (c) to coordinate efforts among those entities represented on the governing body of the joint powers authority to devise and implement strategies to safeguard groundwater quality; and (d) to work collaboratively with other entities, including groundwater management authorities that may be formed in other areas of the County of Sacramento and adjacent political jurisdictions, to promote coordination of policies and activities through the region.
Signatories to the JPA are the City of Sacramento, the County of Sacramento, and the cities of Citrus City of Sacramento Page 2 of 4
File ID: 2022-01249 7/19/2022 Consent Item 15.
Heights and Folsom. The JPA requires the City of Sacramento, the County of Sacramento, and the cities of Citrus Heights and Folsom to appoint specified representatives to the SGA Board of Directors.
The JPA requires that the Sacramento City Council appoint the Board of Director representatives from the City of Sacramento, California American Water, Del Paso Manor Water District, Golden State Water Company, Natomas Central Mutual Water Company, Sacramento Suburban Water District, and local Commercial/Industrial Self-Supplied Water Users. Under the JPA, the representatives the City of Sacramento appoints from other entities are recommended by those entities, but the City Council retains discretion to make the appointments.
Vacancies in some of these positions require that new appointments be made.
Organization Name/Designation
Sacramento Suburban Water District Kevin Thomas
Sacramento Suburban Water District Jay Boatwright, Alternate Sacramento Suburban Water District Bob Wichert, Alternate Biographical Information:
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas was elected in November 2010 to the Sacramento Suburban Water District Board of Directors. He represents Division 4, which includes Arden Arcade, Carmichael, and Foothill Farms.
Mr. Thomas was born and raised in Sacramento, attended El Camino High School and is currently enrolled at CSU Sacramento where he is a senior studying computer science. He works for The People’s Advocate, one of the state’s largest grass roots taxpayer’s organizations, where he engages in all levels of government from neighborhood organizations to federal legislation. Mr. Thomas' experience at The People’s Advocate ignited a passion for serving his community and making it a better place to live. In his spare time he enjoys reading and yoga.
Jay Boatwright
Jay Boatwright was appointed to the Sacramento Suburban Water District Board of Directors on January 10, 2022. Mr. Boatwright is a 40 year resident of Division 2. A graduate of Oregon State University with a degree in Construction Engineering Management, Mr. Boatwright recently retired after a 42-year career as a project manager, company executive and shareholder in the commercial construction industry, both as a contractor and as an end user’s representative.
Mr. Boatwright has been active in the community for many years, including as a long-time member, past president, and current treasurer of the Rotary Club of Carmichael. He has also served on the Arden Arcade Community Planning Advisory Council and the San Juan Unified School District’s Facilities, Transportation and Finance committee, and as a parent representative on the Fulton El City of Sacramento Page 3 of 4
File ID: 2022-01249 7/19/2022 Consent Item 15.
Camino Stingrays swim team board. He currently serves on the Oregon State University Alumni Association Board of Directors. Mr. Boatwright and his wife have two adult daughters.
Bob Wichert
Bob Wichert was born at Mercy Hospital in Sacramento, and he was raised in Arden Park. He graduated from California State University, Sacramento with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and worked for over eighteen years at the Sacramento Municipal Utility District as a mechanical engineer.
While at SMUD he worked on hydroelectric power projects, and he was personally responsible for establishment of the SMUD Greenergy © renewable power program. He has lived in Division 3 for more than twenty years. Up until October of 2014 he ran his own business, Robert P. Wichert Professional Engineering, Inc. He now works as a Senior Manager at Richard Heath & Associates.
He has worked for two terms as a Board member to keep rates low, and quality of service high.
City of Sacramento Page 4 of 4